Chariot(Merkava) Mk. 4. Glass installed . Cables run .

[bullardino]

Ok, Bill and Phil are doing wingies, you are doing modern armour. Is the end of the world nearing us?

Great start on a tank I like a lot, Carl

[Deleted]

Jeff you found them !LOL

Lui ,not yet but when Nems starts building a model without cutting it open or scratch building something in it then that'll be close to the end !

[wbill76]

That video had an almost 'Wile E Coyote' feel to it! Now I know why you have to keep your teeth under a close watch.

[Deleted]

Dang right Bill ,gotta keep a stash of crackers , don't want them snappers wandering around at night biting things that shouldn't be bit !

[Deleted]

The kit tracks are link and length type .

There is a knock out pin mark in every other link on the length piece and in every indy link .


Needless to say it was time consuming to fill in all of the pin marks . I brushed accelerator on the marks and then applied C.a. in the hole . It still took several applications of C.a. to fill in the holes .Some sanding and then they are done . Same procedure on the indy links .


I used two lengths of 2x2 boards as a guide and to provide a flat surface to glue the indy links to the center bottom track length piece .I marked how many indy link pieces are required in the pic below .


The below sbs could of been much easier if I hadn't glued the top of the hull to the bottom . But out of habit I went ahead and glued the two halves together .

After the glue had cured for about 30 min. I wrapped the track around the drive sprocket. The pencil marks on the ends of the center length track help to identify its location while wrapping the flexible links around the front and rear wheels .


Then I slid the drive sprocket with the track wrapped 1/2 around it unto its axle and wrapped the rear links around the idler at the rear and held tension on the track with a piece of masking tape untill all the glue is cured .


Tomorrow I can glue in the the top run of track length .


Later mates .

[imatanker]

Nice work Carl. I haven't done any L&L tracks yet so this is good info to have.

[bullardino]

Great job, Carl. I did L&L tracks on my 48th sherman firefly and I hated them from the start.

[Leon]

Nice work on the exhaust and tracks Carl.

[Deleted]

Jeff , my second set with the L&L . I was surprised to see these . The old ,old , old (I mean really old)AMT M1 Abrams I built yrs ago had them . I built that kit and then threw it in the trash .

Lui , I figured I'd see how these look after paint and weathering and decide if I'll keep em or not .Friuls have a set but they are more than what this kit cost . Well , that hasn't stopped me before .

Nems , you know these have been a breeze for me also . Detail isn't bad . I just glued the top run in place and all seems good . Those biters are a hungry set . Gotta get some pizza and beer across them here soon !

Kenny , I hear you about the sharp kink so I've taken my time with these and let them set and cure longer than what is recommended . Seemed to help the links lay around the curves smoother .

Leon , good hearing from you .

Thanks all !

[wbill76]

Nice work on the tracks Carl, since it's a Friday I think you've earned your beer and pizza...after all, crackers can only sustain you for so long!

[Deleted]

Mmmmmm , it was so good Bill .

Thanks for looking in my friend .

[rbaer]

Fine trackery.

[heico]

Nothing wrong with a Merkava! Here is some more reference: www.flickr.com/photos/68966388@N07/sets/72157637046097445/

[Deleted]

Baer and Heico thanks for looking in guys .
Heico , great reference pictures , thanks .

Ok , here's my version of the turret bustle rack cover. I looked at so many different reference pics which showed variations on the details of the cover that I just went for the look that works for me .
I used adhesive backed aluminum foil , left over from my telephone cable splicing days .

[heico]

It looks nice like this, im curious how it will look when it's painted

[Deleted]

Thanks Heico . I'm curious about the look of it with paint also .

Is tat a Merkava 4 in your avatar ?

[imatanker]

Carl, that's really sweet Man, and I'm assuming that the 1/1 cover is heavy canvas, right? I think it will look awesome when it's painted. It looks very much like cloth with the wrinkles and stuff even if it is silver. Have you painted any of this in the past? I'm nervous about paint sticking to it

[heico]

No it's a Mk.3 Here is a bigger picture of it.  If you compare it to the front of a Mk.4 turret (bottom picture ) you really can see the difference

[Deleted]

Jeff thanks for taking the look . Seems like I read someplace that the cover is made from a heavy rubberized type of material . Not positive about that though ...or much else that requires a processing of my memory . I've had luck with pain sticking to the stuff by using enamel before . just have to be careful with the handling .

Heico , ok , I see the grenade launchers on either side of the front turret now . Thanks .

[imatanker]

I'm hearin' you on that memory thing

[bullardino]

Nice cover you did, Carl

[deafpanzer]

Great work on the cover!!! Is the same foil tape we use for heat & AC too? Or its different kind of tape?

[Leon]

Awesome job on the cover Carl,looks good.

[wbill76]

Nice 'scrounging' effort on the cover material Carl, looks like it will do the trick nicely!

[Deleted]

Jeff , Lui , Andy ,Leon and Bill thanks for lookin in guys .

Andy , I looked over my head at the ducts (not ducks or dukws ) and your right !

[Deleted]

Nems , good suggestion about the sanding ........next time aye .
Thanks for having a look ole mushty (or is it musty )

[fightnjoe]

wait.................carl..........................what.....................he........................but.......................carl?..............................but?.........................................................I...........................................







im tired.



joe

[Deleted]

Good night Joe .

[wing_nut]

I heard a rumor you were doing a modern piece. The universe i out of balance now

Love the granddaughter photo. 2 big smiles. What a good grandpa.

[Deleted]

All smiles here Marc .